Miracle lose 4th in a row

July 14, 2013

The Fort Myers Miracle lost their fourth straight game, falling 4-1 to the Lakeland Tigers Saturday night at Hammond Stadium.

Miracle starter Matt Summers held a 1-0 lead and was shutting out the Tigers through the first six innings, but a costly error in the seventh allowed Lakeland to score twice and take game two of the series.

Steven Moya began the sixth with a single and Summers plunked Jeff McVaney to put runners at first and second. Corey Jones laid down a sac bunt and Summers threw the ball wildly past first base, allowing Moya to score and tie the game 1-1. McVaney moved to third and scored on a ground out to short to put the Tigers ahead.

Meanwhile, Lakeland starter Kyle Ryan held the slumping Miracle lineup in check. He gave up just one run over six innings and struck out five. Evan Bigley doubled in the third and scored on a single by Kennys Vargas, but that would be all for the Miracle.

The Tigers picked up two insurance runs in the ninth. They loaded the bases against Corey Williams, who walked in a run and threw a wild pitch that let another run cross.

Fort Myers has been limited to one run in 18 innings in the series. The Miracle were shut out for the first time this season at home on Friday.

By shutting out Lakeland through six innings, Summers ran his consecutive innings scoreless streak to 15 before allowing a run in the seventh. He pitched 7 2/3 innings and took the loss.

Michael Torrealba, Slade Smith and Jose Valdez each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Tigers.